Research Discovers Evidence Of Underground Reservoir Of Water On Mars
Scientists have discovered evidence of a massive reservoir of liquid water deep beneath the surface of Mars, offering new insights into the planet's geological history and its potential to support life. This groundbreaking discovery comes from data collected by NASA’s InSight lander, which studied the Martian interior from 2018 until the mission ended in 2022.
How was the evidence discovered?
The InSight lander, equipped with a seismometer, recorded over 1,300 Marsquakes, allowing scientists to analyse how seismic waves moved through the planet. By studying the speed of these waves, researchers identified a vast reservoir of water trapped within fractured igneous rocks, located between 7 and 12 miles below the Martian surface. The findings suggest that this hidden water could cover Mars in an ocean more than half a mile deep if it were brought to the surface.
"At these depths, the crust is warm enough for water to exist as a liquid. At more shallow depths, the water would be frozen as ice," said Vashan Wright, the study's lead author from UC San Diego’s Scripps Institution of Oceanography.
Discovery challenges previous theories about Mars
This discovery challenges previous theories that most of Mars' ancient water either evaporated into space or froze at the poles. Instead, it appears that much of it may have seeped into the planet's crust.
The potential for liquid water on Mars has long been a topic of speculation, especially given the planet's cold and arid surface. Michael Manga, a co-author of the study from UC Berkeley, emphasised the significance of this discovery.
"Water is the most important molecule in shaping the evolution of a planet. Without liquid water, you don't have life."
While Mars is now a cold desert, it was once warm and wet, with rivers, lakes, and possibly oceans. This new research suggests that a significant amount of the water that once flowed on the surface might have migrated underground, where it remains today. The presence of liquid water deep within the Martian crust could mean that conditions favourable for microbial life might still exist below the surface.
Published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, this research is the first to provide real data confirming the presence of liquid water beneath Mars' surface. The findings open up new possibilities for future missions to explore these hidden reservoirs and further investigate the planet's potential habitability.
However, accessing this water poses significant challenges. Drilling to such depths on Mars would be incredibly difficult, even for ambitious plans like those proposed by Elon Musk.
"Drilling a hole 10 kilometres deep on Mars—even for Musk—would be difficult," Manga noted.
What does this mean for theories about life on Mars?
The discovery also adds a new dimension to the ongoing search for life on Mars. While scientists have yet to find direct evidence of life, the presence of liquid water deep underground is a promising lead.
On Earth, microbial life thrives in similar underground environments, suggesting that Mars could potentially host life as well.
Although the InSight mission has ended, the data it collected continues to provide valuable insights. Researchers hope that future missions equipped with more seismometers could expand our understanding of Mars by mapping its interior in greater detail, revealing more about the planet's complex and diverse history.
